Jazz Articles about Randy Weston

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Randy Weston: Khepera

by Jim Santella
September 1, 1999

Like Ellington and Monk together, pianist Randy Weston blends beautiful harmony with plenty of surprises. His impressionistic album comes after intensive studies of ancient rhythms from around the world. Gathering from the spiritual or ritualistic to enjoyable jazz grooves, Weston surrounds traditional Chinese and African scenes with familiar images. His band is such that it can sound spare or huge. On “Portrait of Cheikh Anta Diop," the leader gets everyone involved in a big band affair with unusual intensity. Weston ...

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T.K. Blue: Another Blue

by Glenn Astarita
August 1, 1999

Multi-reedman, Talib Kibwe a.k.a. T.K. Blue has been lurking in the shadows albeit in workmanlike fashion while serving as musical director for Randy Weston or supporting the legendary Abdullah Ibrahim. On Another Blue T.K. Blue gets his day in the Sun (and deservedly so...) under the auspices of Arkadia Records’ producer Bob Karcy.Here, Blue puts all of his savvy and years of shedding to fruition with this release on Bob Karcy’s burgeoning Arkadia record label. Blue displays extraordinary ...

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Randy Weston: Khepera

by Robert Spencer
December 1, 1998

Randy Weston is in his Seventies, and Khepera is a mature recapitulation of his lifelong musical concerns. His playing is as strong as ever, as individualistic and yet redolent of Ellington and Monk as ever; his compositions are as tightly focused and yet as variegated as ever.

The playing is superb. Weston's piano breathes as one with a core trio of the phenomenal Alex Blake (best seen live) on bass and Victor Lewis on drums. They're joined by Chief Bey ...

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Randy Weston: How High the Moon

by Joel Roberts
January 1, 1998

Randy Weston has long been one of the most compelling and original composers and performers in jazz (as well as a personal favorite). Decades before “world music" became a trendy marketing category, Weston was integrating American bebop with the musical traditions of West Africa to make some of the most spirited and spiritual music in all of jazz.

How High the Moon, drawn from a rare 1956 session, gives listeners a chance to explore Weston's bebop roots. As a young ...